Christ Pacific Church on Magnolia Street in Huntington Beach is known for Bible-grounded ECO worship, age-specific ministries from nursery through youth, and service extending into recovery, education and mission work. Its two-service Sunday rhythm centers on worship at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM from fall through spring, with one 10:00 AM service during summer. Around that rhythm are Life Groups, Wednesday Night AWANA, Friday Celebrate Recovery, a licensed preschool and partnerships serving Huntington Beach and communities abroad.
A First Sunday on Magnolia Street
Every worship gathering takes place at 20112 Magnolia Street, Huntington Beach, California 92646. The regular pattern has services at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM from fall through spring, while summer worship is at 10:00 AM. Services run just over an hour. Coffee is available as people arrive, and the dress guidance is simply to come as you are. Worship is not a fashion show; it is a gathering of people looking to grow in faith.
On the two-service schedule, 10:30 AM is the main gathering for Pacific Kids and Pacific Youth. Families may take part in worship together, use the nursery or children's classrooms, and use a family room with live streaming when they want to stay connected to the service.
Pacific Kids Begin at First-Floor Check-In
At 10:30 AM, Pacific Kids and Pacific Youth meet during worship. The nursery, for children 6 months to 2.5 years, is available during both the 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM services. Pacific Kids has four classrooms: nursery for ages 6 months through 2.5 years; preschool for restroom-independent children 2.5 years through transitional kindergarten; younger elementary for kindergarten through grade 2; and older elementary for grades 3 through 5.
Parents follow Pacific Kids signs to a first-floor digital check-in area, then walk each child into a classroom where a friendly leader greets the family. The nursery includes play, worship music, prayer and Bible books. The preschool uses the AWANA Cubbies curriculum, while elementary classes use AWANA Brite. A typical lesson combines a welcome activity, Bible teaching and a game or craft, with a memory verse and a weekly challenge to live out faith.
AWANA comes from 2 Timothy 2:15 and means Approved Workers Are Not Ashamed. It is described as a highly scriptural and relational child discipleship program. Pacific Kids ends when the worship gathering ends, allowing parents to pick up their children and hear about the morning they shared.
Christ Pacific Youth invites students in grades 6 through 12. Youth meet in Dock B on Sundays from 10:30 to 11:30 AM and Thursdays from 7:00 to 8:30 PM. Sixth graders and older enter the main worship hall for the beginning of the service and are then escorted to Sunday School by the Youth Minister. A fenced playground and a family room with a livestream are also available.
Seven Core Values and the ECO Covenant Order
The church expresses its shared convictions through seven core values:
- Christ Centered: all that the church is and does responds to Jesus Christ and seeks his glory.
- Biblically Grounded: God's Word is the anchor for understanding who God is, who people are and how to live.
- Intentionally Connected: the church invests in loving and caring relationships.
- Prayerfully Engaged: prayer is accompanied by confidence that God will hear and move in grace and power.
- Radically Generous: people reflect God's generosity by giving of themselves freely and passionately.
- Growing Young: the church commits itself to understanding, supporting and engaging younger generations.
- Holy Spirit Empowered: the Holy Spirit transforms people into the likeness of Jesus and empowers them for his mission.
Christ Pacific is an ECO church. ECO is not an acronym; its full name is ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians. ECO describes the church as a living organism that needs life-giving resources to grow, thrive and multiply. It seeks to strengthen the ecosystems of local churches so pastors and congregations can flourish in healthy, diverse and resource-rich communities.
The ECO commitments are to lift up the centrality of the gospel, grow an emerging generation of leaders, prioritize a wave of church innovation and create an atmosphere of relational accountability. Online giving is available through Pushpay.
Life Groups Across the Week
Life Groups are home gatherings led by trained leaders and hosts. They meet weekly to share, support one another and study God's Word. Three Life Group sessions run during the year: winter, spring and fall. The groups are considered a central part of adult ministry because they combine Scripture study with personal support and community.
Men's gatherings meet on Monday evening at 7:00 PM, Tuesday morning at 9:00 AM and Wednesday morning at 6:00 AM. The Monday group studies the book of Matthew, the Tuesday group studies the Gospel of John, and the Wednesday group works through The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer.
Women's Bible studies meet Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Wednesday mornings. Pacific Women meets at 6:30 PM on the first Thursday of each month. The Gathering Place meets at noon on the first Monday and includes a lunch for women who have experienced the loss of a husband. MomCo meets from 6:00 to 8:00 PM on the first and third Wednesdays from October through May, bringing together mothers with children ages 0 to 18 for friendships, encouragement, practical teaching and discussion.
Young Families meets Sunday evenings from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. Together, these gatherings offer settings for Scripture, prayer, fellowship and support through different seasons of adult life.
Friday Nights with Celebrate Recovery HB
Celebrate Recovery HB is a Bible-based ministry for people seeking Jesus' healing from everyday struggles, past hurts, habits and other problems. Friday evenings begin with fellowship at 6:45 PM. A large group gathers from 7:00 to 8:00 PM for worship and either a lesson or testimony, followed by separate men's and women's open-share small groups from 8:00 to 9:00 PM.
The ministry uses the 12 Steps and eight Recovery Principles based on the Beatitudes. Participants share experiences, strengths and hopes, accept God's grace and apply biblical principles to spiritual growth. Its teaching connects freedom from addictive, compulsive and dysfunctional behaviors with peace, serenity, joy and stronger relationships with Jesus and others.
Celebrate Recovery welcomes people dealing with alcohol, drugs, depression, anxiety, food addiction, divorce, perfectionism, workaholism, control and pornography. Its purpose is fellowship around Jesus' healing power and a community where people do not face struggles alone.
A Preschool with More Than 55 Years of History
Christ Pacific Preschool has provided a loving and playful learning environment for more than 55 years. It is licensed and accredited by the State of California Health and Welfare Agency and the Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing Division. The school is licensed for 74 children each day.
The program offers half-day morning and afternoon classes, an extended-day option and an enrichment program. Learning experiences include art, music, science, reading and language; gross and fine motor development; music and movement; creative writing; mathematics; and outdoor experiences such as woodworking, scientific observation, sand and water play, rhythm and dramatic play.
Christian values are part of the daily rhythm through chapel, Christmas programs, lessons on the Fruit of the Spirit, monthly Bible memory verses, weekly Bible studies and prayer. Social experiences include Friday FunDays, holiday parties and the Christmas program. Teachers hold degrees or equivalent units in early childhood education and complete the education required by California law. Developmental checklists are shared with parents twice a year, and conferences and home visits support communication between school and home.
Worship Built by Musicians and Tech Volunteers
The Pacific Worship and Tech Team is a collaborative group of musicians, vocalists and production volunteers. Sunday worship leaders include vocalists and instrumentalists, while the tech team handles ProPresenter lyrics, livestream cameras, sound and slides. The team uses these gifts to create an authentic worship environment centered on connecting people with God. Worship is also shared through Christ Pacific worship videos.
Zones of Care and Shared Service
Deacons serve in assigned Zones of Care, building relationships and responding to practical needs within the church and community. Their work can include assisting as ushers, helping with illness or recovery, providing meals, and assisting during times of family loss and memorial services. They also communicate through cards at birthdays, Christmas and Easter. Elders concentrate on spiritual teaching and preaching while assisting with mission work.
Service roles extend throughout the congregation:
- Pacific Kids includes nursery, Pacific Kids Church and AWANA.
- Community Care includes Bread of Life and Bloom Squad.
- Guest Services and Hospitality include ushers and the Coffee Bar.
- Christ Pacific Youth includes Sunday and Thursday ministries.
- Worship and Tech roles include instrumentalists, vocalists, camera operators, slides and the livestream.
- Additional volunteers assist with the church office, painting and repairs.
Mission Work in Huntington Beach and Beyond
Local Mission Partnerships in Huntington Beach
Bread of Life serves neighbors struggling with homelessness every Sunday afternoon. The church provides them with a hot meal and an atmosphere of hospitality. The local mission network also includes organizations focused on education, human trafficking awareness, youth restoration and coordinated service.
- Robyne's Nest equips at-risk and homeless students with academic, financial and life skills to complete high school and pursue self-sufficiency.
- Forgotten Children, Inc. works to end human trafficking by breaking the cycle of sexual exploitation through partnerships and community awareness.
- The Common Ground provides at-risk youth with community, restoration and adventure.
- Serve City brings churches and Christians together in Huntington Beach to mobilize service and make Jesus known among neighbors.
- ECO Church Planting is another avenue for extending the church's mission through church planting.
Global Mission Connections
Global connections include Ben and Emily Mooney with Bethel Ministries International in Chimaltenango, Guatemala; Cameron Sykes with A Voice For Children in Costa Rica; Debi Elliott with The Antioch Partners in Zambia; Dave Irby with Surge Soccer in Salem, Oregon; Peter and Wendi Thomson with Sunrise Int'l Organization in Sanda, Japan; and Denail and Lenair Sparks with Every Nation Campus Ministry in Brentwood, Tennessee. SIM, also known as Serving In Mission, is among the supported mission organizations.
The Medical Benevolence Fund supports hospitals, health clinics and nursing schools in Léogâne, Haiti and elsewhere in Africa. Breakthrough Ministries' Nest Orphan Care Program in Chennai, India works to provide children with a family and a future. Christ Pacific also supports David Livingstone Memorial Presbyterian Church in Livingstone, Zambia, where Rev. Chris Mukandawire provides leadership.
For Christ Pacific Church, mission is a lived expression of faith, hope and love directed toward neighbors.